School trips to Catalonia

Barcelona

No visit to Catalonia is complete without a visit to the vibrant Catalan capitol. Students can experience and evaluate areas of urban growth and regeneration at the Olympic Village or the regenerated Port Vell area. Include some of its iconic sites, the Gaudi cathedral or Nou Camp Stadium or simply stroll along las Ramblas to make a memorable day exploring this vibrant, colourful city.

Port Aventura

This is now Spain’s number 1 tourist attraction, and one of the biggest theme parks in Europe with the usual mix of shows, white knuckle rides and of plenty of shops and places to eat. Study workbooks on Business, Tourism and Spanish Language are available to accompany your visit.

Montserrat

Montserrat is one of Catalonia’s most important religious sites but is also a Natural Park. Made of conglomerate rock, the name means “saw mountain” in Catalan reflecting its distinctive serrated limestone pinnacles caused by erosion and weathering. A visit here can include a funicular ride to the summit or the Collbató caves inside the mountain itself.

Dali Museum (Figueres)

The Dali Theatre and Museum is a museum of the artist Salvador Dali in his hometown of Figueres, in Catalonia, Spain. Salvador Dali is buried there in a crypt below the stage. The man himself said ‘I want my museum to be a single block, a labyrinth, a great surrealist object. It will be a totally theatrical museum. The people who come to see it will leave with the sensation of having had a theatrical dream.’

The heart of the museum is the building that housed the town’s theatre when Dali was a child. The museum displays the single largest and most diverse collection of works by Salvador Dali, the core of which is the artist’s personal collection. It contains the broadest range of works spanning the artistic career from 1980-1989. In addition to Dali paintings from all decades of his career, there is Dali sculptures, 3-dimensional collages, mechanical devices and other curiosities from Dali’s imagination.

Figueres is situated around 75 miles from Barcelona.

Tapas Tour

Go where the locals go and have fun while learning something in the experience. Spend an evening strolling along the historic streets of Barcelona with a knowledgeable guide while tasting a variety of Spain’s culinary treasures.

Tordera River Valley

Tordera River Basin is a non-regulated river basin and presents typical Mediterranean conditions with a high environmental diversity, ranging from the mountain tops of the headwaters to the delta area where it meets the Mediterranean Sea. A day here visiting different sites along the river’s long profile will allow you to understand river processes and investigate channel characteristics like velocity, discharge, gradient and channel efficiency.

Croscat Volcano

The volcanic cinder cone of El Croscat is entirely covered with vegetation with the exception of the formerly quarried area that takes a slice out of the volcano and reveals the inner structure, composed of layers of tephra and volcanic bombs. The area is protected to prevent further erosion and guarantee public access for educational purposes. There is a visitors information centre with an exhibition. Access is free but must be accompanied by a qualified guide.

Garrotxa Natural Park

Garrotxa Natural Park is an area of outstanding natural beauty covering 120km2 and is renowned for its biodiversity. It contains some of the most interesting volcanic landscape in Europe. There are thirty Strombolian volcanic cones, most of which are visible and contain cinder material, and over twenty unusually constructed basaltic lava flows. In addition, the area’s moist Mediterranean mountain climate has contributed to lush vegetation and a spectacular landscape.

Girona

Located on a hilltop at the branching of two rivers, Girona is a town that combines local traditions with a modern feel and thriving arts scene. Girona offers treasures such as a vast Gothic and Romanesque Cathedral, a labyrinthine Jewish Quarter and Arab baths, only an hour from Barcelona.